A driver who led authorities on a pursuit from Joshua Tree to Los Angeles County was tackled by an officer in Wilmington and taken into custody Wednesday morning.
California Highway Patrol officials initiated the chase off the 62 Freeway in Joshua Tree about 9:15 a.m. Officers were making a traffic stop when the driver took off, officials said.
About 11 a.m., the gray Lincoln Navigator was making its way to the Whittier area on the southbound 605 Freeway.
The driver continued onto the westbound 91 Freeway in Bellflower toward the 710 Freeway in the Compton area, weaving in and out of lanes to avoid traffic as CHP officers were ahead and behind the vehicle, aerial video showed.
The driver continued to an industrial area of Compton about 11:15 a.m. and into a cul-de-sac, but reversed to avert authorities. By that point, however, there didn’t appear to be any police vehicles chasing the pursuit suspect on the ground.
Soon after, the pursuit suspect could be seen driving erratically on surface streets into the Wilmington area, then headed onto the southbound 110 Freeway toward San Pedro.
After crossing Vincent Thomas Bridge heading into Terminal Island and then Long Beach, the driver continued onto the northbound 710 Freeway, the aerial video showed. That’s when a CHP unit was again following close behind.
The driver continued north on the 405 Freeway, entering Carson and Torrance, before exiting the highway at Hawthorne Boulevard. The pursuit suspect immediately got back on the freeway heading south, aerial video showed.
Just after 11:50 a.m., the driver was back in the Wilmington area, continuing to evade authorities on surface streets.
There, the driver stopped and two people, including a woman holding a child, got near the vehicle. One person exited while police surrounded the SUV, aerial video showed.
While boxed in by officers, the driver tried to take off in the SUV, but eventually stopped and took off on foot.
While chasing the suspect on foot, an officer tripped on a planter on the sidewalk, and the suspect continued running.
Eventually, the pursuit suspect was tackled by an officer and taken into custody.
No further details about the pursuit initiation or the people in the vehicle have been released.